2216 VS. 4500 cylinders

[LT.BB]

I am on a rural dept. and we have 12 Scott air packs. 6 are 2216 and 6 are 4500 psi. (4500's came on a truck deal)the 4500's are within 2 years of the 15 year shelf life limit on hoop-wound cylinders.Most depts. in my area are 2216 and only one has 4500 packs (4 now 2 more added each year) the dillema is stay 2216 or convert to 4500? either way we will have carbon fiber cylinders the salesman claims that the 2216 are the same weight (30 min. cylinders) and same cost.i am leaning towards 2216 because most of the depts. around here are 2216 and seem to have no intention of going 4500. Your thoughts on this?

[CAPTAINKAOS]

You are right they do weigh the same however go with the 4500 because of the lower profile, and the 2216 is going to become obsolete in the next 5-10 years according to some Fire Service rumors.

[distchief60b]

If you are talking 30 minute 4500 vs 30 2216...they DO NOT weigh the same.... The 4500 30 minute is much smaller and lighter. If you go with a 45minute 4500...it is equal to the 2216 30 minute. Go with 4500PSI.......

[Captain 12]

Just fill your 2216 bottles to 4500 psi
just kidding.

In this case smaller is better, or keep the same size tank,and have more time to work...

Some MFG's of air-packs (scott) for one has a buy back program. where they give you good money for your old scba's and tanks ect. toward new equipment.Because the next time you buy just one or two scba's you HAVE to buy there brand...and pay full PRICE...

Or sell them to a dept down the s street...

[Wildfire]

I prefer the 45oo psi cylinders. Another reason is that our surrounding mutual aid companies also use 4500 psi cylinders. When involved in mutual aid calls, cylinder replacement is certainly simplified. We do not have mixed cylinders where mistakes (and deadly ones) can be made with filling or changing out cylinders between the 2 types that you presently have now.

[Rescue101]

In the case of Scott the new CF 2216 bottle is actually LIGHTER than the 4.5.Not by enough you can feel,by scaling only.Having worn both extensively the only advantage to the 4.5 is the ability to squeeze into tighter places and because it fits closer to you(smaller diameter)it will have a SLIGHTLY better balance.The down side is,if most of the depts, around you are 2216 they're probably set up to fill 2.2 not 4.5.So based on the frequency of your mutual aids and other calculateable factors you must decide which of these factors are most important to your operation.Hope this helps.T.C.